Tall Blacks Burn Iran
Tagged in: National Teams, Tall Blacks
The New Zealand Tall Blacks got exactly what they needed heading into next week’s FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament – a confidence-boosting win.
Shooting guard Kirk Penney again top-scored with 24 points, while four other Tall Blacks scored in double figures as they deafeated Iran 91-80 in the final game of the Alpos Cup in Maribor, Slovenia, on Friday morning.
“Both the Puerto Rico and Slovenia games we felt like we put ourselves in positions to win and just took the foot off, let them make runs,” said Penney, who helped improve the Tall Blacks to 3-5 in their pre-Olympic qualifying build-up.
“Tonight we didn’t do that. They made a run at us but we were able to handle it and ended up with a nice 10-point buffer. I just gave us confidence. Everyone played well tonight, the scoring was spread out and a lot of guys contributed.”
Leading by 10 points ahead of the final quarter, back-to-back threes from Paora Winitana and Penney gave New Zealand a 16-point lead in the middle stages, before a three from centre Craig Bradshaw effectively sealed the game up 84-70 with 4:17 remaining.
Iran were able to cut the lead to seven with a 7-0 run before a lay-up from point guard Lindsay Tait and free-throws from Mika Vukona and Tait in the final two minutes confirmed the Tall Blacks third win in five games.
New Zealand did not break away from the Iranians until the final three minutes of the third, a 10-2 stretch, including threes from Penney and Winitana, to close out the period, answering Iran, who had closed within points with 2:41 to go.
After modest shooting nights in losses to Puerto Rico and Slovenia, Penney lit up the Iranians, shooting 8-of-14, including five treys from eight attempts as the Kiwis shot a much-improved 51 percent from the field and 46 percent on the perimeter.
Back-up centre Nick Horvath, who earned the naturalised citizen spot on the team over Casey Frank, produced his best game in a New Zealand singlet, going a perfect 5-of-5 in the game, including two three-pointers, making his two free throws, and added five rebounds, including three offensive.
Penney’s back-up Winitana produced 11 points, Bradshaw 10 points and seven rebounds and starting forward Vukona 10 points and six boards, including three on the offensive end.
For Iran, who have already qualified for the Beijing Olympics after winning the Asian Championships last spring, guard Samed Bahrami top-scored with 24 points, while Mahdi Kamrany had 21 points.
The Tall Blacks were large and in charge, up 45-28 after a Pero Cameron triple with 3:01 remaining in the half, but the Iranians scored 11 straight points before the break to close within six points.
With nine points from Horvath, who scored 12 of his 14 points in the first half, New Zealand opening the second quarter with a 19-7 run to lead by 17 points.
Iran led for much of the first period before New Zealand scored seven points in the final minute, spurred by a Horvath three, to lead 23-18.
“Being through the Canada series and now the Slovenia series I’m really encouraged,” Penney said. “The games right now are just a series of runs. Teams go on 14-0 runs on us but then we go on a big run ourselves. We just have to tighten up defensively.
“When it comes down to one game against Cape Verde or one game against Germany, anything can happen.
”I feel like coming off this win against Iran, it was mentally important for us because we’re such a young team.”
The Tall Blacks now travel to Athens, Greece, tomorrow for the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament, with their first game against upstart African qualifiers Cape Verde on Monday (10pm, NZ time).
Alpos Cup
Tabor Hall, Maribor, Slovenia
New Zealand Tall Blacks 91 (Kirk Penney 24, Nick Horvath 14, Paora Winitana 11, Craig Bradshaw 10, Mika Vukona 10) Iran 80 (Samed Bahrami 24, Mahdi Kamrany 21, Hamed Ehadadi 14)
1Q: 23-18
HT: 45-39 (22-21)
3Q: 67-57 (22-18)
FT: 91-80 (24-23)
